Exploring the Markets of Toulouse
All the joys of the marché in Toulouse, France
Who doesn't love a good farmers market?
I certainly do. Back in Philly, going to the Headhouse Farmers' Market to pick up my CSA and other groceries for the week was routine. I'd also make time for a few other markets throughout the month and definitely had my favorite farmers.
In Toulouse, there is no shortage of markets. Except here, they aren't exactly "farmers" markets, as many of the vendors selling produce and what have you don't always grow it themselves. Otherwise, there are some similarities between the markets here and those over in the U.S.
There's often a large selection of vendors, many of whom sell fruits and vegetables, some of whom sell cheese, others have olives and dried fruits. Usually, there's at least one bread and pastry seller, plus a butcher or two. Maybe you'll find someone selling honey or jam.
What's available really all depends on the market size and often the day of the week you visit. I'm starting to have my favorites.
Marché St Aubin
Every Sunday, the area around the Église Saint-Aubin transforms into a massive market. The first time I went, I was awestruck. It's absolutely huge! I have yet to make my way through the entire market. I sometimes get lost in it.
And, the marché isn't just food. It's books and other stuff as well, which I have to say is less interesting to me, although Aléric did find his sac à man (hahaha) here.
But the food. Let me tell you about it.
First, in the spring, there's the man who sells asparagus. Just asparagus, so he's gone by early summer. Next to him is the mushroom guy, who sells yellow and gray oyster mushrooms.
And let's not forget the spice guy, who has a massive array of spices available in bulk. Unfortunately, no piment d'Alep, or Aleppo pepper, but plenty of others that are difficult to find in a supermarket here (I'll probably have an entire post on spice buying in France soon, don't worry).
It's easy to go wild here, so I've taken to bringing a limited amount of cash and going home once I have nothing left.
Marché Cristal
The Marché Cristal is my everyday market. It's closest to where I live and is open six days per week. In the time I've been in Toulouse, I'm starting to have my favorite vendors at this market, such as the people I buy my tomatoes from once or twice a week and the fruit seller at the end of the market who has "ne touchez pas" signs. I also have an olive guy and a potato guy who always asks me how I plan on using the potatoes, just to make sure I'm choosing the right ones.
As the seasons change, the market evolves.
Now that it's fall, mushrooms (cèpes) are everywhere and a few seafood vendors have popped up.
Like St Aubin, Marché Cristal is outdoors. Vendors set up tables along the Boulevard de Strasbourg/d'Arcole from 7 am until about 1:30 Tuesday through Sunday. It's not as big as St. Aubin but for your daily basics, it's totally fine. There are a couple of olive sellers, a couple of cheese sellers, and a bread vendor in addition to fruits and vegetables. One of my favorites are the herb guys, who sell bundles of fresh herbs for 80 cents or 1 euro.
Marché Victor Hugo
Think of the Marché Victor Hugo as the tourist trap of Toulouse markets. I don't love it. Maybe I'm biased because back in 2018, the first time I visited the city, I had an embarrassing encounter with a vendor while trying to buy some mandarins. I couldn't figure out how much money she wanted and she got pissed off at me. Oof.
Or maybe I'm just a little salty about this market because last year, I bought some chocolatines from a boulangerie that supposedly had the best ones in the city and they were stale. Or one time I got what I'm going to describe as a very challenging raw chevre here and felt off for about two weeks afterward.
All that said, there is a boulangerie at the market that has a very good baguette aux graines.
Marché Bio Capitole
On Saturdays and Wednesdays, there's a marché bio around the Capitole of Toulouse. I don't go to this market as much because since it's "bio" i.e. organic, so the prices are a little higher (some may say significantly higher) than at St Aubin or Cristal.
But, it also has a bigger selection of greens than either Cristal or St Aubin, which makes it worth a visit from time to time. It's the only market I've seen that has Swiss Chard, or blette, available. I've also bought made-in-France tofu at this market.
Further Flung Markets
By "further flung" I mean these markets are farther away from where I live so I don't have that much experience with them. I visited the Marché St Cyprien a few years back when I was staying in Patte d'Oie and it was on the small side but fine. The Marché couvert des Carmes is bit swanky, with ropes to keep you from getting too close to the organic produce. Both Marché St Cyprien and Carmes are covered markets, which can be nice when it’s chilly or rainy.
Marketing Tips and Tricks
If you've ever been to a farmer's market in the U.S., you're pretty much prepared for marketing in France. Bring a bag or two to haul your stuff home, use a caddy if you have one, bring cash, preferably small bills and coins. Say bonjour to the vendors, plus s'il vous plait, merci, and bonne journee au revoir. They may speak to you in English once they hear your accent or if you fumble a word or two.
To Touch or Not to Touch?
Many, but not all, vendors let you touch the produce and pick out what you want yourself. They often have little plastic baskets available, which you can use to gather your fruits and vegetables. You then hand the basket to the vendor to weigh and tally up your total.
The vendors who don't want you to touch the produce will have signs telling you that, usually something like "Ne touchez pas" and "Nous vous servons." In that case, they'll ask you what you're looking for and when you plan on using it, then they'll select what they believe best fits your needs. At some markets, like Carmes, there's a rope to keep you from getting too close to the precious produce.
Pay Attention to Price and Quality
I've noticed a wide range in price and quality, not just from one market to the next but also within the same market. One vendor may have tomatoes for 1 euro/kilo while another is selling them for 4 euro/kilo.
While there are deals to be had, it's often the case that the cheaper the produce, the lower the quality. I won't say there are fruits and veg that are sitting out there rotting, but sometimes it's pretty close. There are occasionally little baskets full of just on the edge of spoiling vegetables and fruits, which are deeply discounted. Whether they are a good buy or not is a subject of much debate.
What I like to do, at least at the Marché Cristal, since it's a straight line, is pass each vendor first, then make my purchases on the way back down. At this point, I've started to have my favorites, so I know where I'm going to buy my tomatoes or my herbs. But for anything else, it's fair game. Those peaches look a little worse for the wear? On to the next vendor...
Go Early
My typical market hour is 8 am, or maybe 9 am on a weekend. I once made the mistake of going around noon on a Saturday and it was a disaster -- way too crowded and stressful.
But the mornings are much quieter. Sometimes, we get there early enough that the vendors are still setting up. There's time to linger and really explore what's on offer.
On the flip side, I guess you could go right around closing time to see if any of the vendors are offering deals or trying to get rid of stuff. But at that point, everything might be pretty picked over.
Marché ou Supermarché
For produce and fruit, I'd say that the marché is usually your better bet in France compared to going to the supermarket or grocery store. Prices are usually a little lower at the marché and you have a wider selection to choose from, particularly if you're shopping at smaller stores like Carrefour City or Monop'.
I usually reserve the supermarket for dried goods and stuff that you can't get at a marché. If it's a Monday (when markets are closed), I may pick up a few fruits and vegetables at the grocery store, just to tide us over until Tuesday. This is one of those time management things you need to get used to in France, where you have to put more effort into deciding when to get your shopping done versus in the US.
I like when the vendors offer you to test the produces, a slice of melon or a few grapes, for example.
As for the debate about the little baskets full of vegetables and fruits "on the edge of spoiling", I find them very useful for making bananas-bread, tomato sauce, or even a fruit salad.